Since the formation of the Premier League, City and Villa have met 27 times, City winning 14 of these meetings.
Roberto Mancini’s side will be boosted by the club’s recent record at Villa Park, having won three, drawn three and lost only once in seven visits.
Since Gerard Houllier took over the club, Villa are averaging only 0.84 points a game with 16 from a possible 57.
City’s away form is enough to worry even the most optimistic Villa fan with the Blues losing just two of the 11 Premier League away games played this season.
Carlos Tevez has 14 league goals to his name this season - a stat that will worry the Villa defence who have conceded 26 goals in 12 games since their last clean sheet.
City, however, share the best defensive record in the league, conceding only 19 league goals all season and keeping 11 clean sheets - a record only Sunderland can match.
...Stat attack!
In order to change Villa’s fortunes in front of goal, Gerard Houllier signed Darren Bent from Sunderland this week for a club record fee of £18m. The England striker has eight Premier League goals this season including a last-minute penalty for Sunderland against City last August.
Ex-City favourite Stephen Ireland has made just 10 appearances for his new club since leaving City in the summer. Neither he, nor former City skipper Richard Dunne appeared in the reverse fixture at the CoMS last December.
James Milner is returning to his former employers for the first time, whereas team-mate Gareth Barry played in the corresponding fixture last season – a match that ended in a 1-1 draw.
City have lost just seven of the 29 matches in all competitions away from home under Roberto Mancini’s reign and have lost only three of the 19 Premier League games he’s presided over.
City are currently bottom of the Premier League’s disciplinary table with 47 yellow cards and five reds – Villa have also had 47 yellows but just one sending off.
Villa’s average crowd of 37,163 this season is eight best in the Premier League – City are third with 46,260.
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Manchester City FC, The Sky Blues! [vol.9]
